"Eveline"

“Eveline” by James Joyce

pros and cons of leaving home

Eveline is deciding on whether it is best for her to stay home or leave for her love Frank. Eveline evaluates the pros and cons of the situation to determine what to do. In her present home, Eveline had assurance of security with shelter and food. Moreover, she had everyone dear to her in her hometown. Cons to staying home would be fear of her father’s treatment of her. “She would not be treated as her mother had been. Even now, though she was over nineteen, she sometimes felt herself in danger of her father’s violence,” (Joyce, 219). With this con however, there is some doubt to whether her father would be capable of the violence he inflicted upon Eveline’s mother because he was now much older and more dependent upon Eveline.  Her pros to leaving her home for Frank would be living with a man she knew to be kind and open-hearted. In addition, being married would bring her respect from people in her new home town. Cons include Eveline not knowing how Frank would behave once living with her. With leaving her home, there would be tremendous uncertainty and risk. She would not be able to turn back to her home where she felt secure because of shame and embarrassment.